百人一首　乳母かゑとき　猿丸太夫|Poem by Sarumaru Dayū, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)

Art Historical Context

Katsushika Hokusai's *Poem by Sarumaru Dayū, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)* (1839) is a vibrant woodblock print that brings to life one of the waka poems in Japan's beloved *Hyakunin Isshu* anthology. Compiled in the 13th century by Fujiwara no Teika, this collection of classical poetry by emperors, nobles, and monks like Sarumaru Dayū captivated Edo-period audiences. Hokusai depicts the poem's evocative imagery—featuring women, houses nestled among hills and trees—through the narrative lens of a "nurse" storyteller, a popular format th...

About the Artist

Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...